The Third Sector and the 2010 General Election

The Theory and Policy research team are conducting research on the Third Sector and the 2010 General Election, under the direction of Prof Pete Alcock.  The aim is to explore how the different voices and interests of the Third Sector, political parties and media shape and reflect policy agendas during the electoral campaigning period.

Key research questions are:

• Are particular types of third sector organisations (TSO) (size, type, strategic partners) more or less successful in getting heard by decision makers, and why?
• What are the different kinds of tools that TSOs use for political campaigning, and which are most effective?
• To what extent are TSOs adopting formalised strategies in their engagement with political representatives leading up to the general election?
• How does the engagement between TSOs and political parties translate into media coverage, and to what extent is this solicited or desired by those involved?
• How much do factors like personality and luck feature in the sector’s political representation?
• What are the approaches of the three main political parties to the Third Sector - how do they differ in their conceptualisation of the sector, have their approaches changed in the run-up to the general election, and how is this reflected in their discourse and policy?

Research strategy
The research will analyse the multiple sources of electoral literature and media coverage of the 2010 general election. In addition, it will involve telephone interviews and email surveys with political representatives and key players in the Third Sector.  The research will take place in the run-up to the general election and will be arranged to suit respondents.  Participants will be anonymous.

The results of this research will be published as TSRC Working Papers, in academic journals and disseminated widely within the sector via the Knowledge Exchange Team – watch this space.

Research interviews will be conducted by Jane Parry. For more information please contact Jane at j.parry@tsrc.ac.uk

Research contacts
Jane Parry
Professor Pete Alcock